The latest joke in our absurd presidential campaign is that Russian President Vladimir Putin sees Donald Trump as a strong leader. This is causing belly-laughs in the Kremlin.

People in Putins inner circle say that Putin considers Trump a buffoon, easily manipulated by flattery, without a scintilla of knowledge or depth about the world outside his golf courses. Moreover, Trumps stated willingness to recognize Putins annexation of Crimea, to lift sanctions, not to object to the occupation of an area in Ukraine, to withdraw promises of support for NATO allies in the Baltic, and for NATO as a whole, is the Russian dictators dream.

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Putin was a big winner in the Brexit vote as it shook the strength of the EU, a rival political power (and was probably bemused at Trumps happiness that it was good for business of his golf course in Scotland. Geopolitical benefit for Putin vs. more business (perhaps) for Trumps golf course is, in Trumps world, a win. Keep that in mind.)

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According to Putin insiders, he sees Trump as a weaker, far more ignorant, wholly self-absorbed version of Neville Chamberlain. Easy-pickins.

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Putin also knows Trump cannot resist a good deal, ie, that benefits him personally. If Trump were president, Putin knows he can offer bargain-basement terms on choice property in Moscow and in St Petersberg, for example, for Trumps company to build hotels in exchange for geopolitical concessions from the U.S. that have no impact on Trumps wealth.

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And, heres the kicker: Trump would walk away believing HE got the better of Putin, and brag about it!

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Putin, remember, was KGB. He has used psy-ops on U.S. leaders before. Learning that George W. Bush was religious, Putin displayed a cross around his neck at their first meeting, pointing out that his grandmother had given it to him.